Hitler's concrete vessels in Greece, turning out fiasco

In the northwestern region Evbiaagainst Phenotidsis the island Lihada And exotic Likhadonisi. This picturesque Eubician village stands out by its beauty and a wonderful panorama. However, few know about his Underwater secret.

In the depths Twelve meters There is a sunken concrete ship. Cargo vessels built from concrete, although they appeared in First World Warceased to be built due to the high cost of production and slow transportation.

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However, when it began World War II And a huge one arose Lack of iron ore, Concrete ships They returned to the foreground thanks to the Nazis, as a forced decision. One of them is at the bottom The Gulf of Eugbian.

Hitler's concrete vessels in Greece

The first reinforced concrete boat was patented by a Frenchman named Monier, and it was back in 1867. According to legend, the gardener originally made flower tubs, and in the process he saw that they were swimming. He decided to try to make a reinforced concrete boat, and he succeeded. At first glance, concrete is not the best material for shipbuilding. But as it turned out, he has some properties by which he exceeds the metal. The first of them is that he is not afraid of water. There is nothing to rust there. And the second is the price of the construction of ships from it.

Already in 1917, the first sea ship made of reinforced concrete was created in Norway. Later, many countries experimented with reinforced concrete ships. But as commercial operation showed, they were very expensive in terms of fuel economy because of the large weight. Fuel costs were very large, and such vessels did not go to mass production. Everything was changed by the Second World War.

The concrete ship of the 20th century

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During Second World War Germany decided to build sea ​​vessels from concrete In various countries of occupied Europe, to facilitate the supply of seized territories.

In Greece Caton ships had to deliver cargo to Crete and other occupied islands, as well as ensure supply “African corps”the expeditionary corps in North Africa under the command Erwin Rommel.

The first ships began to be built a few months after the German invasion, in December 1941when the relevant objects were created in Vari Attica and c Perma.

These areas gradually turned into A huge construction site. Railways were built for transportation of materials, careers, shelters to protect staff, berths, sea waves, fuel tanks, ammunition depots and generators to provide electricity.

Pioneer cement transport descent in the pen during the occupation of Greece

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By the end 1943 It was assumed that the total number of workers in construction concrete ships exceeded 3000. Near 1300 worked at the shipyards of the feather, 1300 at metallurgical enterprises that produced parts for ships, and about 500 They worked at enterprises that supplied a large amount of wood necessary for the project.

As these employees said after the war, their payment was limited A plate of boiled potatoes per day!

Fiasco

According to the initial goal, by summer 1944 at least should have been completed 34 large vessels carrying capacity from 250 to 700 tons and somewhat smaller, while subsequent plans increased the bar before 52 ships. Although the data on how many of them were built and ultimately reached the sea incomplete, it is assumed that their number did not exceed 16 ships.

When the Nazis left Greece in 1944several ships were still at the stage of construction and equipment.

Five of the first cement farms that went to sea in The last quarter of 1943overcame 1200 kilometers in the area from Thessaly to Peloponnestransporting 4000 tons cargo. They say that the main cargo that they transported within the country, There was coal and ore from those mineswho have not yet stopped their work.

Routes of German ships during the occupation (collection of Panayotis Vrontamitis)

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However, despite the initial functionality, the quality of the constructed concrete ships Soon it turned out to be lower than the expectations. They were slowWhat made them with a light target for union aircraft, the quality of their design caused doubts, and the engines with which they were equipped constantly had problems.

In the harbor of Hags Georgios (specials) are the remnants of one of Hitler's concrete vessels, turned into mol.

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Researcher of the Greek economy during the period of occupation Vasilis Manusakis She said in an interview Kathimerini:

“From the originally planned 34 ships Ultimately, it seems, was built and launched into the water 25of which the majority suffered from constructive shortcomings and sank in the waters of the Aegean Sea. Some of them that sank in shallow water, as in cases Raffins And Methanewere later towed and became “blocks on sea wave cutters”.

And the Americans did …

The United States built 24 C1-S-D1 class transport ships from concrete

It is reported that they built them according to the Liberty project. Gross weight: 4690 tons / weight Net: 2738 tons / dimensions: 102.53 m x 16.45 m x 10.66 m

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In addition to cargo ships, the Americans also built concrete barges. In total, 45 barges were released. Length 265 feet. Carrying capacity 1632t.

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Probably the main problem of the poor quality of ships was still slave labor, and not the disadvantages of the structure. Indeed, after the war in West Germany, fifty-300-ton dry trucks for shipping in the North Sea, in the Baltic and along the Norwegian coast were built and launched to save. The case of such dry cargo loads demonstrated high resistance to dynamic loads during tests (100 kg of dynamite installed under water at a depth of 10 m close to the vessel’s body was undermined).

Shipwreck off the coast of Evia

Among the sunken ships was and “General Meise”which went to the bottom after the allied air attack. The incident occurred October 8, 1944. The only available data reports three dead, two seriously wounded and eight missing.

Surviving concrete ship of the III Reich “General Meise “ off the coast of Evia

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The information came from the reports of the German Admiralty of the Aegean Sea, who also report that two allied aircraft were shot down during the raid.

Shipwreck “General Meise” was discovered in the north of Eugi, in the area Aiios Georgios Likhadonin the depths 12 meters.

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